The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-09-04
A DlAB0LICAL DEED.
The Brunswick Mystery Solved
A Cowardly Man Of Wealth wreaks
an Awful Vengeance.
Damaging Testimony by Mr.. Thorn
Before the Coroner.
Three White Wreiches Brutally
Murder and Sink Negro.
The Hue Ribbon Crime In Point Of
Premedttated Plans ~ d Cold
Blooded ExecutiOn-COn-
mans story.

For cold blooded, ,ievil.inspired, dia.
bolicsl deeds, the murder at Bruns-
wick. in this couaty, twenty-five
miles from Memphis, on the Louis
vile and Nashville road, stands ct the
top OF the list. There is no insanity
dodge or self.deiense plea to urge in
extsnustion oi the crime, but the
sworn evidence goes to show q care.
fully studied and deliberately planned
murder, after the victim / I'D been re.
duced to q state Of perfect helpless
ness.
To give q full and comprehensive
account Of the crime, IL must be
carried back to the first intelligence 70.
csived Of II In this cNy. Last wednes.
day afterno DON Sherf Cannon was
telephoned from Brunswick by JUS
tlce O. g. Hughes, to send two or
more deputies to that place. Particu.
lars at that time were mesger, but to
the effect that party Of men, names
unknown, had imperssnsted officers
OF the law, gone after q man for some
alleged ofense, and that since his ar.
rset nothing lad been seen or heard
Of him. Messrs. Alexander, Webb ard
Blackwell went TO Brun wick that
night, but on arriving learned that
Deputy Fleetwood, whore headquar-
ters are at Brunswick. had arrestt d
Green Anderson and John b. Mason,
ca, on suspicion OF having mur.
dered the missing man. MeSsrs. Webb
and Blackwell returned to Memphis,
leaving Alexander TO assist Fleetwood
Ia the further search.
To guide them, II was known that
the missing man was negro m med
James Eastm IN, that he was srrested
by Dick Walker and CHARLES Wobb Der,
At the instance OF w. p. Cofiman,
with whom he had difficulty. The
negroes Of the country took a deter.
mined partIln the search aud we're v ~
bitter and threatening toward Cltf.
man. Walker left the country, Web
her was arrested and placed under a
$3.50 bond, with O. b English a. snre-
", and az soon ss released he too, fed.
A Mr.. Thorn. employed by Cofimsp,
was subs, Quently arrested AZ knowing
something about the disappearance Of
Eastman, as was also Coffman.
The entire country, whites and
blacks, Joined In the search, and after
securing the country dragged Hatchie
river. At q late hour Friday afternoon
the people were rewarded by finding
the dead body OF Eastman In the river
at q point about three. quarters Of a
nile from the scene of the d ficulty.
II was taken out and conveyed to
Brunswick, the authorities not I'd
and further proceedings stayed until
yes erday morning.
Friday night, Acting Attorney Gen.
eral ]. j. Brooks and Gen. ]. r. " al
mere, the latter as counsel for Cof.
mar, went 70 Brunsvick 10 conduct
tho Investigation before Justice
Hughes, sitting an coroner. II was
found neceasary 10 ersmine only a
fey W .tnesses. as the fourth one, Mr..
Thorn, solved the mystery complete.
ly. Coffmsn isa Eswmill and gtave
factory owner, about three n lies from
Brnnawick, which Ia located on land
b longing 10 Mr.. Erglish. Thorn is
tho engineer NJ the concern. He tee.
tiH d that between 3 and o'clock
Tuesday evening, August 30th, Coff.
men ard the negro Eastman became
involved In n row, In which the nsgro
struck his employer and came out
victorious AbOu, 8 o'clock the esme
night = messenger came 10 bic house,
only few hundred yards dis'ant from
the mill, and informed him ihst C.ff.
man saated 10 ses him at the Office.
He was eatirg supper at the time, but
RESPONDED 10 tie summons as
soon as powible. On reaching
the flee he iound o; fiman, Walker,
Wehber and the negro, the former
being In his shirt sleeves and holding
q shotgun. Az he entered the room
the gun wae banded him 10 hold while
Coffmsn put on his coat and vet. Az
he dressed he inquired OF the witness
In On undertone u he WIS ready 10
20 into the a6air"
"wbat sfiai' 2" asked witness.
"The hanging Of this negro" 70.
piled Cotiman.
Witness answered that his wife, who
was about 10 he coth1ed. was In no
condition to be left alone, but he
vould return home and see. At this
Waller took the gun from witness,
and he left. II took him but a short
time 10 return home and acquaint bis
wife with the demand upon him, Ia
which she, oi course, objected. and he
70 informed Oofiman, who thereupon
called Walker into ,he yard, where
thew indulged In brief conversation
In low tones. When they 70 e-entered
the house, Cohman remarked 10 wit
refs that his excnss was all right, and
he would efcure assistance elsewhere
The party then aroee. msde the ne
gro stand no In their mlds', and Cofi
man seemipgly tied his hands behind
him. The done, the negro We com
MAJ ded 10 march ont In front oi them
Diviring that something dreadful "a
about 10 beiall him, he turned N Coh
man ard remarked : . Captain, I dldn'
20 20 strike you, and you struck mi
| irr,"
"You're q lying s-n Of a b-b," re
piled Oofman.
"You're flxin' 10 do me some dirt,
sajd Eastman, nleadinglv, brt will
the full force Of firm conviction In hi
mind.
"No. I'm not" srnwered Cofiman
"hut I'm going 10 take you 10 Bruns
wick ard turn You over to the su,hori
tiee."
This allayed tho iearsoi E,rtman
Who inquired In whist objection h
should 20. Pointing toward the stav
factory which wss not in the difec
ton Of Brunswlck, Cohnan said
"That way: we'll take . tbor' cut.
CofImap, Walker and Webber the
marched oif, the negro, Eastman, 4
front Of them, and witness returne
home. Between 10 and II o'clock h
heard ave gun or pistol shots In N
direction Of Haichie river, abou
where the body Of the Murdered ma
was found. Nert day Coaman az
] prosched witness and coached" hlr
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